Hellenism

Hellenism is the historical spread and influence of ancient Greek culture, language, and civilization beyond the traditional Greek homeland. The term is most often used to describe the era following Alexander the Great’s conquests and the subsequent Hellenistic period, roughly from 323 BCE to 31 BCE, when Greek customs and institutions were adopted across the eastern Mediterranean and Near East.

During this period, Greek became a common language across widely dispersed regions, especially Koine Greek, and Hellenic education, philosophy, science, art, and architectural forms were disseminated through cities such as Alexandria, Antioch, Pergamon, and Tyre. Greek urban planning, theatre, libraries, and gymnasia accompanied the spread of political kingdoms—the Ptolemaic, Seleucid, and Antigonid realms—while local rulers often integrated Greek elements with existing traditions.

Religions and ideas merged with local cults, producing a syncretic religious landscape. Philosophical schools (Stoicism, Epicureanism, Skepticism) and scientific advances in mathematics, astronomy, and medicine flourished within Hellenistic centers. The translation and adaptation of texts, including the Hebrew Bible into Greek (the Septuagint), exemplify the cross-cultural exchanges characteristic of Hellenism.

In modern historiography, Hellenism also denotes the broad influence of Greek culture on later Roman culture and the wider ancient world. The term is used descriptively to refer to both the historical diffusion of Greek language and customs and to modern appreciation or revival of classical Greek culture.